Mellow Drive: Latest Mellow Landmark to Change

JESSUP — Another sign bearing the name of former state senator Bob Mellow is set to be taken down. This time, it’s a road sign.

Jessup Borough Council members are the latest to make the move to change the name of a Mellow landmark.

Council members voted unanimously Monday night to change the name of Senator Bob Mellow Drive. They don’t know yet what it will be changed to or when, but the council president said it was the right move to make now as most of the colleges, non-profits, and parks that bear the Mellow name are changing too.

Senator Bob Mellow Drive is just off the Casey Highway in Jessup. It was on a list of landmarks honoring the now disgraced state senator. Now it’s on a growing list of places to be renamed.

But, on a public road, it’s a bit more complicated. Along with changing maps and road signs, the businesses along Mellow Drive will have to make a lot of changes too. Letterheads, business cards, and brochures will need to change.

But, that’s an expense pediatrician Dr. Paul Tomcykoski has been willing to make for a long time.

“Seeing the way the trends were going, with the colleges addressing it, and other places addressing it, I think everybody felt it was probably the appropriate thing to do,” Dr Tomcykoski said.

Tomcykoski called for the name change as soon as Bob Mellow was sent to prison. But he was surprised to see the change come so soon.

Jessup Borough Council President James Brunozzi said they decided to vote on changing the name because it was the right thing to do and the right time to do it.

There’s no timeline though on picking a new name, so don’t expect the signs to change anytime soon.

Borough officials had said they’d wait for input from the businesses that call Mellow Drive home along with residents, but they didn’t. Brunozzi said they took action before a potential outcry.

Jessup resident William VanLuven said the residents themselves should’ve been able to decide.

“I still think it should be put to vote, a bigger vote, a wider vote on behalf of the people. Did they do it on behalf of the people or did they do it on behalf of themselves? A lot of people want to wash their hands of things like that,” VanLuven said.

Jessup officials said before they take any other action, they’ll send information to all of the businesses on Bob Mellow Drive about what they’ll need to do when the name changes.

When it comes to a new name, so far, borough officials and the businesses don’t have any good ideas.